TIMELESS REASONS TO CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING

Hebrews 13:5-15

UNCHANGING REASONS FOR THANKSGIVING

Intro:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV 1900

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

One of the most explicit Bible verses related to the matter of thanksgiving is 1 Thes. 5:18.

This verses says, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

This verse commands believers to give thanks to the Lord, not FOR everything, but IN everything! There is a big difference there!

Certainly, we ought to be thankful, not just because we are told to be thankful, but because we have much to be thankful for!

However, I have discovered that thankfulness is a very fickle thing. Often, our thankfulness focuses on things that are physical in nature. We are thankful for our health. We are thankful for our families and our homes. We are thankful for our financial stability. We are thankful for the things we have. Yet, all of these things are subject to change. Think about it, health can break, families can split up and bank accounts can run dry. What do we do then? How does that affect our thankfulness?

I would like to suggest that we remain thankful for all the physical blessings we enjoy, and that we learn to look beyond those changing things to some things that never change.

I need to examine whether my gratitude is anchored in the fleeting distractions of today or firmly rooted in the profound and timeless blessings that shape my life.

I. OUR SAVIOUR IS TIMELESS-VS. 5-6, 8

These verses tells us of just a few of the unchanging glories of our Lord! The things revealed here are causes for thankfulness at all times.

A. His Abiding Presence-V. 5

Covetousness=unwillingness to wait on God

Regardless of where the path of life leads, the saint of God will never walk alone - Matthew 28:20 “20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

Isaiah 41:10 “10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

B. His Assisting Presence-v. 6

(Ill. The word "helper" comes from a word which means to "to run". The idea is that when we are in need, the Lord runs to our aid.)

Psalm 118:6 “6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?”

Romans 8:31 “31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

C. His Anchoring Presence-v. 8

One of our greatest sources of thanksgiving is in the truth that Jesus never changes!

What He was then is what He is now!

From before creation on into eternity, Jesus has never, nor will He ever change!

Hebrews 4:16 “16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

OUR SAVIOUR IS TIMELESS

II. OUR SALVATION IS TIMELESS-VS. 9-12

Divers=different or various

Strange=root word for stranger, foreigner. Belonging to another country.

Notice that the writer’s appeal is to the heart. For the most part, error appeals to the mind. 11 John Phillips,

A. The Price Of It-V. 9

This verse mentions grace!

Ephesians 2:8–10 “8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We can thank God that salvation is given without cost, Isa. 55:1; Revelation 22:17 “17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

It is purely the operation of grace! Think of how you came to know Him! Dead in sin and He sought you, He called you, He died for you, He redeemed you and He keeps you.

All you did was exercise the faith that He gave you. He did it all!

B. The Pain Of It-V. 12

For us the price was low, for God, the price was unimaginable! Our salvation cost God the life of His Son, John 3:16.

His death on the cross is what provided salvation for you and me! There is no way that we can adequately describe the gory details of the death of the Lord Jesus, But the prophet Isaiah tells us something about what He suffered for us,

Isaiah 53:4–7 “4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, So he openeth not his mouth.”

We can be thankful, everyday, that even though

He knew what we were and what we would be like after He saved us, yet He still went to the cross and died for our sins!

C. The Purpose Of It-VS. 12-13

We are told here that He suffered the death He did so that He might "sanctify the people."

The word "sanctify" means "to separate from empty things and set apart for God's use."

This is why Jesus died! He died to take vile sinners out of their sins and set them apart from this world for the glory of God.

He saved us so that we might become different and that God might be able to use us for His glory,

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Ill. Paul 1 Tim. 1:12-15

1 Timothy 1:12–15 KJV 1900

12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13 Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

We can be thankful that we which were so lost and wicked have now been cleansed and set apart for God's glory through the blood of Jesus!

We ought to thank the Lord that He has made a change in us. The very fact that we don't live like we used to, that we don't find enjoyment in all the things the world is running to, that we are different is a cause for rejoicing everyday of our lives!

Our Saviour is timeless

Our Salvation it timelee

III. OUR SANCTUARY IS TIMELESS-V. 14-15

Again, we are reminded that we are living in a world that is constantly changing.

If all of our hopes are placed in this world and in the physical realm, then we are going to be disappointed more than we will be happy.

However, the child of God can rejoice in the fact that this world is not the end all, tell all of our Christian experience! Verse 14 tells us that there is something better just down the road!

Those that came before us knew that Heaven awaited them at the end of their earthly journey.

Hebrews 11:10–16 “10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. 15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

When this journey is over, we have a city awaiting us were we can rest from our labors and where we can enjoy the sweet presence of the Lord.

John 14:1–3 KJV 1900

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

It is a place of which we know little, but we do know that none of the problems of life will be allowed there,

Revelation 21:4 “4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

We do know enough to allow us to be thankful for that blessed home that waits for every child of God.

Conclusion:

Today we need to take a close look at the real blessings of the Lord! Let us be thankful for all the things He gives us. Let us praise Him for our health, our families, our financial blessings and so on. Let us not take them for granted.

But, let us learn to be more thankful for those things which we can never lose!

Am I grateful for fleeting moments, or for enduring blessings?

Let's learn to be ever thankful for those things that cannot change! When all the physical blessings have faded and we can find no reason for praise in them, let us thank the Lord that there are some things that will never change! In these things we have an unchanging reason for eternal thanksgiving!

Why not come before Him right now and just thank Him for Who He is and for what He has given you and me!